Title: Family Ties

Author: Vicious Question Mark

Rating: M

Summary: Dee may have dragged Ryo out of the closet at work, but as far as Ryo's family's concerned, he's still straight as a board. When an unexpected visit from Ryo's Aunt Elena interrupts Dee's Christmas plans, Ryo may find himself in over his head. DLxRM. Yaoi.

Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own FAKE or any of the related characters or their personalities. I just like to manipulate them for my own twisted amusement (with my deepest apologies to Sanami Matoh for brutalizing and mutiliating her beloved characters)

A/N: Ok, first let me say that if you're a manga fan, and a fan of FAKE (which, obviously, you are) then you should definitely read Gravitation. And second: I used to have a Gravitation story up on here, and it was all going very well, I had just gotten to the climax AND…some JERK OFF got it taken off the site. So, whoever it was, let me tell you now, if any more of my stories mysteriously disappear, I will find you. I WILL. GET. YOU. Ok, now on the show! Chapter 2: Day One

Dee looked up from where he was re-packing his once packed and unpacked suitcase as a knock sounded on the door. He heard footsteps – Ryo's – across the living room, and the creak of the door as it opened. His lover's voice floated in to him.

"Aunt Elena! Uncle Rick! I'm so glad you guys could come!" there was a rustle of clothing as Ryo hugged his aunt and uncle, and the sound of their greetings.

"Ryo! Oh honey, it's so good to see you! You look thin, have you been eating?" That would be Aunt Elena.

"Elena, leave the boy alone, we're barely in the door!" What a voice! Gruff and growly, like a bear. Must be Rick. Dee scowled.

"Dee?" the scowl transformed into a smile as the black-haired man stood up to greet their houseguests. He spared a glance at Ryo first, saw the pleading warning in his eyes, and smiled all the wider, extending his hand warmly.

"You must be Elena," he said, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it. He smiled charmingly. "I've heard so much about you."

"You'd better watch out for that one, Elena," Rick joked, shaking Dee's hand vigorously.

Hiding a grimace as his fingers were crushed, Dee shook the big man's hand. "Oh, don't worry about me," he said. "I don't mess with people who could snap me in two with one go."

Dee actually seriously doubted whether Rick would even be able to stop a punch let alone hurt him, but hell, he'd play along, just like Ryo wanted him to. If he didn't cause any trouble, Ryo might just let up on his no sex around the relatives policy and let Dee take him to a hotel for the day. Keeping this hopeful thought in mind, Dee lugged his bag up off the floor and motioned the two intruders into the room.

"It's all yours," he said, still smiling.

Rick dropped his suitcase on the floor and dropped onto the bed gratefully. Elena hesitated for a minute.

"We're not putting you out, are we dear? Oh Ryo, you said it wouldn't be any trouble!" she gazed reproachfully at her nephew. Before he could stammer out an apology, Dee was there, cutting in smoothly.

"Oh it's really no trouble," he said. "I'll be fine on the couch." He again flashed her that charming smile, and she gave in.

"Oh, well, all right then. Ryo, where's the bathroom? I'd like to freshen up a bit."

"Right down here, Aunt Elena. Oh, if it's all right with you two, I thought we'd go out to dinner tonight? Sort of celebrate you being here. We'll go in about an hour?"

"Sounds great, I'm starved. No Indian, though. That crazy curry stuff doesn't sit too well with the old digestive system, if ya know what I mean." Though Rick had not left his spot on the bed, his voice could be heard clearly down the hallway. That grating voice. Dee gave Ryo a look behind his aunt's back, pleading with him to make this all be a joke, and to get these people out of their house as quickly as possible. Ryo simply smiled and offered an apologetic shrug before tripping off to his room to change.

XxX

"Woo! I am stuffed. That place earns a three-notcher on the old belt."

Dee looked away disgustedly as Rick loosened his belt right there on the sidewalk. Ryo's cheeks coloured a little as his aunt laughed at her husband's rather tasteless behaviour.

"Rick, please," laughed Elena, only half serious. "We're in public. You could at least wait until we get home."

"Aw hell Elena, no one around here cares. I could take off my pants right now and no one would care." Rick slipped an arm around his wife's slim waist.

"Actually that's illegal, and we'd have to take you in for disturbing the peace." Dee shoved his hands in his pockets, searching for his cigarettes. Rick looked over at him shrewdly.

"So you're a cop too, eh?" he asked.

"Detective, actually," he said, lighting his newfound cigarette with a puff. He hated being called a cop. He was a cop when he got demoted to traffic duty, not when he was investigating murders and drug rings. He pondered the question as he exhaled a breath of smoke. Hadn't Ryo told them that he was his partner? Hadn't he mentioned anything about Dee to them? They were his family, after all…weren't you supposed to talk about things like work with you family?

"Dee's my partner," Ryo said nervously. His uncle threw him a sharp look.

"Your what?"

"My partner, at the precinct. We work together on cases. I do the paper work, and Dee keeps me from getting killed."

"Then I guess I owe you thanks!" Rick slapped Dee on the shoulder jovially, sending him stumbling forward the slightest bit. "Can't be too bad, if you keep our Ryo above ground."

"Heh…yeah…" Dee stopped and bent down on the pretense of tying his shoe, and beckoned Ryo to him.

"Um, hey, if you guys walk up a little further there's a bridge, and the view at night is pretty spectacular." Rick and Elena regarded Ryo curiously. "We'll catch up in a minute," he assured them. Elena shrugged and tugged Rick down the road. Dee waited until they were out of earshot before straightening up.

"So you're a cop too," he mocked Rick's earlier comment. "Jesus, Ryo! Didn't you tell them anything about me at all?"

Ryo rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly. "I don't talk to them that often," he said. "And when I do, I don't mention you, because…because I'm afraid I'll say something like, 'Yeah, work was great. Dee saved my life again and when we got home he –'"

"'Fucked me senseless'?" Dee cocked an eyebrow. Ryo colored.

"No! I…I'm just afraid that I'll slip up or something." Ryo reached out and touched Dee's shoulder. "I just don't want them to hate me," he said quietly.

Dee sighed. "I know…"

Rick watched his nephew and the dark haired man closely. There was something he didn't trust about this…Dee. What kind of name was Dee, anyway? It wasn't even a name, it was a letter. And he didn't like the way he looked at Ryo. There was something off about it, something that just wasn't quite right… He watched as Ryo touched the taller man's shoulder and leaned in, saying something quietly that seemed to calm him a bit. Rick looked around quickly. If Ryo didn't hurry it up, they were going to look like a pair of hom-

'That's it,' thought Rick suddenly. 'That's what's not right about him…Dee's a homo!' Rick's eyes widened as the pair walked toward him, and then narrowed as Dee looked over at him. If Ryo was living with this man, then there was no way that he knew about his friend's sexual preference. Well, he would just have to set his nephew straight…and make damn sure that he stayed that way.

A/N: Hey! Sorry for the long note at the beginning, but I had to get that out there. So, what do you think? I'm not sure if I like this chapter or not, so please review! If you don't like it, let me know and I'll re-write it, ok?